Step 5: Removing The Gearbox/Motor

Step 6: Mounting/Interfacing

The best mounts I've found are the kitbots drill motor mounts but hose clamps also work. I've also made my own mounts out of UHMW plastic but wood wo...

This Instructable will cover the process of how to modify a generic cordless drill for use in robotic applications by removing the chuck and disengaging the slip clutch. It will also cover mounting options for the motors.

Why use a drill motor instead of a purpose built gearbox/motor like a Banebots P60?

1. Cost. It's around $80 for a banebots gearbox/motor and about $30 or less for a cheap drill.
2. Drills are designed to be lightweight, durable and powerful. (isn't that we want in a motor?)
3. They are almost the same thing as a Banebots P60, but with more plastic. they have a similar final output speed*, and identical motors in most cases.
4. You get a battery and charger, which are always useful.

WOW! Those are expensive, not to mention American, and I'm not sure I'd know what to look for otherwise.

However, if you are using it for a robot, surely all you need is some kind of Transistor or Relay? The Processor would (Presumably?) deliver PWM signals at it's usual logic level and you'd just need to make that switch the higher power side (with apropriate isolation). Or am I missing something?

Ahhh! Now I hadn't figured on the whole "Radio Controlled Demolition Fest" that is "Combat Robots". I can see why you'd need something much more robust for that.

I was thinking of a basic mobile robotic platform, just with a bit more oomph! Arduino, Picaxe, and just about any processor will be able to generate something resembling a PWM signal, it's just a matter of using that to switch the high power side.

Thanks for answering my questions though, thanks for posting the project in the first place, keep up the good work.